ByChristina Gerhardt, Cambridge, Mass.August 15, 2008

Currently, I am reading George Monbiot’s Heat:How to Stop the Planet from Burning. The book argues that we can, in fact, save the planet from global warming and explains what we must do: (1) We must change our habits immediately. (2) We must demand legislative change to enforce changes in habits uniformly across the board. Monbiot argues that we do not need to go without modern-day comforts, but we do need to consume less and reuse more. Moreover, we need to consider our relationship to “need.” How much and what do we really “need”? It is an excellent read and a clearly written book that moves well. Monbiot is honest about his doubts and mistakes and what he found and learned along the way.